THE SEVENTEENTH PARLIAMENTof the United Kingdom was dissolved by Proclamation on the 23rd April, and Writs were ordered to be issued for calling a new Parliament; which writs were made returnable on Tuesday the 31st May; on which day the Parliament so called met for Despatch of Business.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORacquainted the House,
"That Her Majesty not thinking fit to be personally present here this day, had been pleased to cause a Commission to be issued under the Great Seal, in order to the opening and holding of this Parliament."
Then Five of the Lords Commissioners, namely, The LORD CHANCELLOR, The LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (The Marquess of Salisbury), The LORD PRIVY SEAL (The Earl of Hardwick), The LORD STEWARD OF THE HOUSEHOLD (the Marquess of Exeter), and The Loss CHAMBERLAIN OF THE HOUSEHOLD (Earl De La Warr), being in their Robes, and seated on a form placed between the Throne and the Woolsack, 2 commanded the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod to let the Commons know "The Lords Commissioners desire their immediate Attendance in this House, to hear the Commission read."
§ Who being come;
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
"My Lords, and Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
"HER MAJESTY not thinking fit to be present here this day in Her Royal Person, hath been pleased, in order to the opening and holding of this Parliament, to cause Letters Patent to be issued under Her Great Seal, constituting us and several other Lords therein named Her Commissioners, to do all things, in Her Majesty's name, on Her part necessary to be performed in this Parliament: This will more fully appear by the Letters Patent themselves, which must now be read."
§ Then the said Letters Patent were read by the Clerk. And then
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid,—
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"We have it in command from Her Majesty to let you know, That as soon as the Members of both Houses shall be sworn, the causes of Her Majesty calling this Parliament will be declared to you; and, it 3 being necessary a Speaker of the House of Commons should be first chosen, it is Her Majesty's pleasure that you, Gentlemen of the House of Commons, repair to the place where you are to sit, and there proceed to the appointment of some proper person to be your Speaker; and that you present such person, whom you shall so choose, here, To-morrow at Two of the clock, for Her Majesty's Royal Approbation.
§ Then the Commons withdrew.
§ The House was adjourned during pleasure, to unrobe.
§ The House was resumed.
§ PRAYERS—Read by the Lord BAYNING, in Holy Orders, no Bishop being present.
§ The LORD CHANCELLOR singly, in the first place, at the Table, took and subscribed the Oath required to be taken by the Act of the 21st and 22nd Victoria, cap. 48.
§ Certificate of the Sixteen Peers for Scotland delivered, and read.
§ ROLL OF THE LORDS—Garter King of Arms attending, delivered at the Table (in the usual Manner) a List of the Lords Temporal in the First Session of the Eighteenth Parliament of the United Kingdom; the same was ordered to he on the Table.
§ Several Lords took the Oath.
§ Charles Bennet, esquire (commonly called Lord Ossulston), having received Her Majesty's Writ to summon him to sit in this Parliament as Baron Ossulston—was in the usual Manner introduced.
§ The Lord Camoys, and The, Lord Vaux of Harrowden took the Oath prescribed by the Act 10th Geo. IV. to be taken by the Peers professing the Roman Catholic Religion.
§ John Charles Earl of Seafield in Scotland, having been created Baron Strathspey of the United Kingdom, was in the usual manner introduced.
§ House adjourned at Five o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter before Two o'clock.